rawene

 

I spent the weekend up at Hokianga - one of my favourite parts of Northland. Usually I photograph the landscape but this time I thought I'd show you the town of Rawene and the Boatshed Cafe that I love so much. That deck built out over the water must be one of the best dining rooms. It's lovely to sit there at breakfast and watch the tide and the sea birds. At the end of the main road (yes, that's it in the photo) you can catch a car ferry to cross the harbour - even if you're not going that way.

forty-six days later ...

Easter is the last long weekend in New Zealand to get away before the weather turns colder so we headed off in our van to the winterless North again for a few days at Pataua South and Mangawhai. It was too cold for me to swim in the sea but we did lots of walking including part of the Te Araroa trail along the clifftop at Mangawhai. On our last day at Pataua we ate the best ever hot chips bought from the campground store on their last day open until Boxing Day. Sadly we didn't have the same luck at our favourite ice cream shop at Waipu Cove. It was already closed for winter.

- footbridge over the Pataua River
- bach at Pataua North
- view from our campsite of the estuary and sandbar at Managwhai at dusk
- the village butchery at Matakana

This is my first post since 11 March. It's been so long I even forgot my password. I've had a sort of photography equivalent of writers' block. I was (and still am a bit) feeling stuck.

Anyhow, the big blog break has given me a longer list of reading to share with you:
The guest cat by Takashi Hiraide - beautiful simple story about a couple's friendship with a neighbour's cat
The Rosie project by Graeme Simsion - popular novel about an autistic man's search for love
Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton - interesting photos of people taken on the streets of New York
Letters of note: correspondence deserving of a wider audience compiled by Shaun Usher
Black Swan Green by David Mitchell - 1982 in a village in Worcestershire as told by a 13 year old boy

north again

Last week we were making the most of the last bit of summer and camping with friends in Northland. Lots of road but also lots of swimming in the sea. That's our little grey van under the pine trees at Whananaki.

Reading: When Mr Dog bites by Brian Conaghan

north

We've had a few lovely, sunny, cold, misty days up North staying on the Hokianga.

- mist on the harbour
- sunset at Omapere
- cobweb
- magical tree of cobwebs somewhere between Opononi and Rawene
- fishing boats on the Waihou River

Reading Travels with Epicurus: a journey to a Greek island in search of a fulfilled life by Daniel Klein

and repeat

 

Another good weekend away in Northland again but this time in a hired campervan.

- red-billed gull
- from the lookout at Matauri Bay
- agapanthus, Te Ngaere 
- ice plant succulent growing on the dunes at Te Ngaere

Reading A slow passion: snails, my garden and me by Ruth Brooks

a good weekend

We left the city for the weekend to celebrate a birthday and catch up with family. We ate well, enjoyed good company, tried the local wine and drove home the long way.

- on the road near Ruawai
- steer with panda eyes
- hens at Ake Ake vineyard, Kerikeri
- oranges at a roadside stall near Kerikeri
- on the road to Maungaturoto
- a sheep called Eric
- grapevines at Ake Ake
- old Raupo ferry landing on the Northern Wairoa River 

already a holiday

These photos were taken while staying 'up North' for a few days - the first of many holidays to come, I hope. The weather was wonderful and we swam in the ocean which I love to do.

Reading A moveable feast by Ernest Hemingway + Watching Girls, season 2